Not the Cheese...

I've finally found a spare moment to write about SORRENTO! No, not the brand of processed cheeses - the Italian coastal city and vacation stop for wealthy (or in our case, broke) tourists! After our lazy day in Ischia, Matthew and I spent a whirlwind day traveling up and down the Sorrentine Peninsula and Amalfi Coast. We had intended to stay put in Sorrento for the whole afternoon, but instead, we squeezed in two more cities. Thus, we didn't have much time in any one place, but we got to see a wide variety. And that was the goal. Today I'll only share about Sorrento, which was our initial excursion of the day. It was the last stop on the Circumvesuviana train (remember, the sweaty rickety one?) and we were relieved to finally get off in an upscale tropical paradise. Of course, we had to take a little detour for espresso and gelato before getting to the town center. From my experience, Italians are outstanding experts in four things: espresso, gelato, pizza, and well-tailored clothing. I happily benefit from their prowess in these areas, especially the first three. Moving on...

This was the typical car scene outside of the fancy schmancy hotels. I almost felt transported back in time to a Cary Grant movie. Sigh.

Naturally, we enjoyed envying the other half as we wandered down the major luxury shopping streets, but I was most in my element in the market stalls. There is something comforting about being in the kitchy alleyways with all the other travelers. I don't have to worry about fitting in. I'm a tourist, everyone knows it, and it is what it is. I'm not preoccupied with trying to blend in like I am when surrounded by locals.

How silly of me to forget the fifth thing that Italians do well - LEATHER! I wanted so badly to replace my worn out purse with one of these, but none of them tripped my trigger. All beautiful, but not exactly what I wanted.

Coming from England made Italy's sky seem clearer, the sun brighter, and the water bluer. Also, England's climate is perfect for growing giant rose bushes, but I've only seen hydrangeas this huge near the Mediterranean.

Aren't they lovely? Couldn't resist a flower pic.

Also in the abnormally large category were the lemons. Most of them looked more like melons. Matthew and I have a problem with collecting random containers, and we got suckered into buying an awesome little bottle of lemoncello here. It has made it all the way to Houston, and we have yet to drink a drop of it. But the bottle is just so glorious.

Where the shopping in Sorrento ends, the swimming begins. There are two large marinas at the base of the city's cliffs. One is for boats, and the other is for beaches and lounge chairs. At this point I regretted not throwing my swim suit in my bag that day.

The marina was filled from wall to wall with umbrellas, and it's easy to see why so many people flock here to relax.

Check out the crystalline waters! Now that is a swimming hole!

Behind us is the transportation marina. This balcony above the ports had magical views. Across the bay Vesuvius was barely visible, and the surrounding hotels were ultra classy. I imagine the French riviera to be similar. We saw several newlyweds taking pictures up here. What a gorgeous backdrop.

Speaking of weddings, this driver was waiting in a getaway car for a bride and groom. Isn't he just too cool for school? I was cracking up at how hardcore he was trying to look while sitting in a slug bug with a bow on the front and roses in the back. He was all about posing for my camera.

Shortly after passing the bridal parties, we decided we had covered the highlights of Sorrento, so we headed back to the train station. Upon arriving earlier that morning, we had seen charter buses bound for Positano and Almafi and thought we could find a schedule. Sure enough, we did. And it was insanely cheap for a day pass. I think we paid 6 euros a piece for unlimited bus travel. (Compare that to a ferry from Sorrento to Amalfi which would have cost around 50 euros.) I popped a dramamine while we waited on our ride. I had been warned of the twisty turns coming my way. Oh, and quick travel tip: when using public transportation, take a picture of the timetables you are using. We took a couple photos of the bus schedule that was posted at the train station because we knew it was reliable, and we have been stranded before at a mislabeled stop. If you have the pictures, then should you lose track of time while exploring, you always have the timetable with you and can see when the next scheduled bus will come along. It's very handy.

Finally, I'd like to leave you with some iconic Italian scenes from Sorrento.

The mutant lemons are inescapable.

As are the Vespas.

But who would want to escape this? My goodness.

Because I wanted to avoid being rude, I did not photograph another typical scene... beggars. They were perched on every church stair and walked up and down the trains looking for handouts. I know I sound incredibly calloused, and I honestly don't know how it's possible to show compassion in those situations. I have a heart for the disadvantaged, but it is easy to become jaded. On the Circumvesuviana from Naples to Sorrento, Matthew and I sat across from a woman and her young son. He was probably 5 or 6 years old. The entire way, they were laughing and playing games with each other. I thought they looked slightly destitute, but they certainly didn't appear poverty-stricken or in pain. They got off the train alongside us, and we parted ways. I didn't think much of it until later when Matthew and I were walking past a church near the tourist shops. Sure enough, that same lady and her son were sitting on the steps of a church! She was looking incredibly sad with the boy laying in her lap pretending to be ill. And they had a paper cup sitting beside them to collect charitable donations! I couldn't believe it, but Matt and I are 100% positive it was them. How can I see that firsthand and not be skeptical of every person asking me for change? I understand that desperate times call for desperate measures, but how can I discern who is genuinely in need? It is convenient for me to pass judgment while sitting in my brand new, air conditioned home in middle America, and I don't think there is an easy answer. I guess I'm just admitting that I struggle. I am often torn between pessimism and sympathy.

Well, that was a long addendum, but sometimes these things just make their way from my brain to my fingertips. I'm looking forward to showing you Amalfi and Positano as soon as I can. My new job starts on Monday, and I'm using my last days of complete freedom to tidy the house and run errands. (Fun.) Matthew officially started class yesterday, and he's busy already. Last night he was watching lecture videos involving cadavers and scalpels. Yuck. I have a feeling this is only the start of medical school insanity, but he is over the moon to be studying something he finds fascinating and purposeful. I'm a proud wifey. Anyway, ya'll come back over the next few days, and I'll try to get another post done! Adios!